Today, broadcast programming is recognized as a successful method of mass information delivery. As is generally known, broadcast programming systems typically include both a production facility and a network of transmission facilities. The production facility provides programs, such as television programs and radio programs, and the network of transmission facilities broadcasts the programs to the general population. This process has been remarkably successful at providing information and entertainment to the mass markets.
Unfortunately, the scale and expense of broadcast programming systems dictates that there will be few such systems available to the general public. Accordingly, at any given time, there are only a limited number of programs from which the general public can select. As a consequence, successful programming tends to cater to universal tastes and demands. This leaves unsatisfied the market's demand for programming that is more tailored to the individual audience member. In response to this demand, smaller production companies have come forward to develop and broadcast radio and television programs that are more directed to select segments of the media market. In particular, cable television carriers provide a plethora of programming choices, each of which is tailored to a particular segment of the media market.
Although these alternative broadcasting systems provide a wider selection of information and entertainment programming, they still are directed to relatively large portions of the media market and more troublesome, lack the budgets and talent pools of larger broadcasting systems that enable the larger broadcasting systems to continually provide high quality programming.
Accordingly, it is one object of the invention to provide systems and methods that provide computer-enhanced monitoring of broadcast programming.
It is further object of the invention to provide a system that provides programming that is more tailored to individual audience members.
It is another object of the present invention to provide systems that allow an audience member to selectively control characteristics of a programming sequence being monitored.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide systems and methods of an audience member to interact with a program sequence being monitored.
Still further objects of the invention will become apparent upon review of the illustrated embodiments and upon reading the following description in conjunction therewith.